1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a battery module carrier, a battery system with such a battery module carrier, and a vehicle with such a battery system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A rechargeable (or secondary) battery differs from a primary battery in that the former is designed to be repeatedly charged and discharged while the latter provides an irreversible conversion of chemical to electrical energy. Low-capacity rechargeable batteries are used as power supplies for small electronic devices, such as cellular phones, notebook computers, and camcorders, while high-capacity rechargeable batteries are used as power supplies for hybrid vehicles and the like.
In general, rechargeable batteries include an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive and negative electrodes, a case receiving (or accommodating) the electrode assembly, and an electrode terminal electrically connected to the electrode assembly. An electrolyte solution is injected into the case in order to enable charging and discharging of the battery via an electrochemical reaction between the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the electrolyte solution. The shape of the case, for example, a cylindrical or rectangular shape, depends on the intended purpose of the battery.
Rechargeable batteries may be used in a battery module including a plurality of unit battery cells coupled to each other in series and/or in parallel so as to provide a relatively high energy density for, as an example, driving a motor of a hybrid vehicle. For example, the battery module is formed by interconnecting the electrode terminals of the plurality of unit battery cells to each other, the number of unit battery cells depending on a desired amount of power, in order to realize a relatively high-power rechargeable battery module for, as an example, an electric vehicle.
Battery modules can be constructed in a block design or in a modular design. In the block design, each battery cell is coupled to one common current collector structure and battery management system, and the batteries are arranged in a housing. In the modular design, a plurality of battery cells are connected in submodules, and several submodules are connected to each other to form the module. In the modular design, different battery management functions can be realized on a module or submodule level, which provides favorable aspects, such as improved interchangeability.
To form a battery system, one or more battery modules are mechanically and electrically integrated, equipped with a thermal management system, and configured to communicate with one or more electrical consumers (e.g., energy consumption circuits or devices). Further, the battery system may include a battery management unit (BMU) and/or a battery disconnect unit (BDU).
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.